Market rankings · Hawaii
Child care centers and preschools in Hawaii
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Hawaii, ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 214
- 28 chain locations (13%)
- Official establishments
- 267
- 0.0% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $424.6M
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 4.3
- 26% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $2M
- 98% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #4 of 51
- Market score 74 · Upper middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Hawaii by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
There are 214 child care centers and preschools on map listings in Hawaii as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 13% of them, against 12% across the U.S. That is 4.3 per 10,000 households, 26% below the U.S. rate of 5.8.
Households in Hawaii spend about $424.6M a year on child care and other personal services, or $862 per household, 48% above the U.S. average. Spread across 214 child care centers and preschools, that is $2M per center, 98% above the U.S. figure of $1M.
Official counts show 267 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in Hawaii in 2023, unchanged from 2019. That is one for every 1,844 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 5.7% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 3 SBA-backed loans worth $975K have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Hawaii.
Among the 50 states and DC, Hawaii ranks #4 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 74 (upper middle). Of the 2 scored metro areas in or partly in Hawaii, the Urban Honolulu metro area scores highest (71). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Hawaii, the Hilo-Kailua area scores highest (82).
Every market in Hawaii for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Hawaii, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Urban Honolulu, HI | 71 | 139 | 4.1 | $2.2M | −2.3% | #51 of 387 |
| 2Kahului-Wailuku, HI | 56 | 39 | 7.0 | $1.2M | −2.5% | #152 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hilo-Kailua, HI | 82 | 23 | 3.1 | $2.3M | +4.6% | #11 of 454 |
| 2Kapaa, HI | 68 | 13 | 5.5 | $1.5M | +0.3% | #83 of 454 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii County, HI | 80 | 23 | 3.1 | $2.3M | +4.6% | #77 of 1,611 |
| 2Honolulu County, HI | 72 | 139 | 4.1 | $2.2M | −2.3% | #207 of 1,611 |
| 3Kauai County, HI | 64 | 13 | 5.5 | $1.5M | +0.3% | #416 of 1,611 |
| 4Maui County, HI | 58 | 39 | 7.0 | $1.2M | −2.5% | #590 of 1,611 |
| Kalawao County, HI | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.5% |
Markets with fewer than 5 child care centers and preschools on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many child care centers and preschools are in Hawaii?
As of September 2026, map listings count 214 child care centers and preschools in Hawaii. 28 of them (13%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 267 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, unchanged from 2019. Another 759 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Hawaii spend on child care and other personal services?
About $424.6M a year, or $862 per household. That is 48% above the U.S. average (an index of 148, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 214 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $2M per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 492,453 households in Hawaii and national spending patterns by income.
How does Hawaii compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Hawaii has 4.3 child care centers and preschools per 10,000 households, 26% below the U.S. rate of 5.8. Spending per center is $2M, 98% above the U.S. figure of $1M. At the U.S. ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Hawaii would have about 424, against 214 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,844 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count held level from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Hawaii has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 2 scored metro areas in or partly in Hawaii, the Urban Honolulu metro area scores highest, at 71 (upper middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Hawaii, the Hilo-Kailua area scores highest, at 82 (high). Among 4 scored counties in Hawaii, Hawaii County scores highest, at 80 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Hawaii scores 74 for child care centers and preschools (upper middle), #4 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Hawaii. It maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Child care and preschools in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for child care centers and preschools across the U.S. · All business types in Hawaii
Screening a site or an acquisition in Hawaii?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.